In the French patent application Nos. 83 18368, filed on the 18 Nov. 1983 , (see also U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,350), and No. 85 18425, filed on the 12 Dec. 1985, which corresponds to U.S. Ser. No. 672,376, filed on Nov. 16, 1984, two embodiments have been described of a complete artifical heart including two pumps, representing respectively the right heart and the left heart, this artificial heart being remarkable in that, on the one hand, it comprises the indissociable functional unit formed;
by a pericardial module intended to be housed in the cavity of the natural heart to be replaced and enclosed in a sealed envelope having at least three connection orifices for connection respectively to the right auricle, the pulmonary artery and the left auricle, said orifices for connection to the right auricle and the pulmonary artery being provided with valves serving respectively as inlet port and outlet port to a first pump housed in said pericardial module for providing the function of the right heart of the natural heart to be replaced;
by an extra-pericardial module intended to be housed in a physiological neutral space of the receiving patient and providing the function of the left heart of the natural heart to be replaced, this extra-pericardial module having a sealed envelope in which is enclosed a second pump having an inlet port and an outlet port, each provided with a valve;
by a functional connection between said pericardial and extra-pericardial modules including at least:
a first duct passing through the envelope of said pericardial module and connecting the orifice thereof corresponding to the left auricle and the inlet port of said second pump incorporated in said extra-pericardial module;
a second duct providing gas communication between the sides of said first and second pumps opposed to the blood passing therethrough.
In the first embodiment, the sealed envelope of the pericardial module has a fourth orifice for connection to the aorta and said functional connection includes a third duct passing through the envelope of said pericardial module and connecting said fourth orifice thereof corresponding to the aorta with the outlet port of said second pump incorporated in said extra-pericardial module.
On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the outlet port of said second pump incorporated in said extra-pericardial module is connected directly to the abdominal part of the aorta, so that the fourth orifice of the pericardial module can be omitted as well as said third functional connection duct.
In these two embodiments, each of said pericardial and extra-pericardial pumping modules are advantageously provided in the form of a membrane and pusher plate pump.